Battle of Ji Province (180)

The Battle of Ji Province was fought in 180 AD as one of the first battles of the Yellow Turban Rebellion.

Background
During the late Han dynasty, the religious leader Zhang Jiao led a massive uprising against the corruption of the Han government, and his followers became known as the Yellow Turbans for their yellow scarves. The uprising spread across the land, including Ji Province, the domain of Yuan Shao. In 180 AD, Yuan Shao decided to bring the rebel army to battle, and he arrogantly decided against using any strategy in the battle, instead plotting a full-scale assault.

Battle
The assault began in the south, with Zhao Yun's unit routing Cheng Yuanzhi's Yellow Turban unit and moving on to assault a Yellow Turban defensive base. However, Zhang Jiao grew angry, and he summoned a spell which caused tornadoes to impede the advance of Yuan Shao's army in the center of the battlefield. Zhao Yun continued the advance on the right flank, capturing the defensive base after slaying its commander, Zhong Xieren. Zhang Jiao then sent his son Zhang Ba to further impede the opposing army with more spells, and Zhang Ba headed towards the altar. However, Zhao Yun threw the Yellow Turban bases into confusion after assaulting their supply base and slaying its captain, Liang Guiying.

Zhao Yun's elite forces on the right flank then advanced towards the center, so Pei Yuanshao began to add more guards to the fortified altar. Zhao Yun and his soldiers began battling for control of the altar, tainting it and ruining Zhang Ba's plans to cast a spell. Zhao Yun proceeded to cut down both Pei and Zhang, and Yuan Shao ordered his forces to continue their advance and finish the defeat of the Yellow Turbans. While He Yi's Yellow Turban unit was able to eliminate Yuan Shang's unit in the south, Zhao Yun continued his advance on Zhang Jiao's main camp in the north, advancing further than any of Yuan Shao's other forces.

Zhao Yun finally came face-to-face with Zhang Jiao himself, and they dueled at Zhang Jiao's camp. Zhao Yun was able to slay several Yellow Turban soldiers before cutting down Zhang Jiao, and Zhang Jiao's defeat led to Yuan Shao's forces emerging victorious.

Aftermath
The defeat of the Yellow Turbans in Ji Province led to their demoralization elsewhere, and the rebellion would quiet down until 184 AD. However, the battle was the last time that Zhao Yun served under Yuan Shao, as he felt that Yuan Shao was not a righteous ruler, and he decided to enter Gongsun Zan's service instead.